The Insidious Killers: Heat Stroke and Dehydration.
Ordinarily, our bodies make up for the water we lose. However, unfortunately, two extremely common heat-related disorders continue to occur all to frequently in our society, conditions which can be life-threatening if undiagnosed or untreated: dehydration and heat stroke.
Although these maladies can occur anywhere, they are most commonly encountered, in the United States for example, in the southern states during the summer months when outdoor activity is at a premium.
Dehydration most commonly occurs as a result of exposure to heat, although it can also easily occur as a dangerous side-effect of diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. In this respect, it is particularly dangerous to both children and the elderly.
When we are healthy, we drink plenty of fluids, eat healthy foods (containing water), and we watch our exposure to heat. The water we take in is roughly matched by the water we lose through urine, stool, sweat, and tears. However, when we are overexposed to heat, or we experience fever, diarrhea, or vomiting due to illness, then we may lose more water than we take in and dehydration can occur. The dehydration process is accelerated if we are engaged in high-intensity activity out of doors, as our body sweats more and we lose even more water, more rapidly, through our body's natural cooling process (i.e., sweating).
When dehydration occurs, we experience thirst, less-frequent urination, dry skin, fatigue, light-headedness, dizziness, fever, tearless crying, and increased heart rate and breathing. These symptoms are the signs our body uses to tell us we're in trouble.
Treatment for dehydration differs based upon the cause and severity of the malady. However, in the case of mild dehydration, the most common recommendations are: (a) rehydration through the consumption/drinking of fluids such as water and/or other commercially offered electrolytic fluids; (b) rehydration through the use of an intravenous fluid line (an “IV”) to directly and quickly rehydrate the body in more severe cases; and (c) reduction of the heat load (i.e., the activity level and heat exposure) the person is experiencing.
Heat stroke is the most severe form of heat-related illness, and, in fact, it is a life-threatening emergency condition. In a nutshell, heat stroke occurs as a result of a long, extreme exposure to the sun under circumstances in which the person simply doesn't sweat enough (or effectively enough) to maintain a stable, healthy body temperature. The reason for the focus on the process of sweating is that this is one of the key ways in which our body cools itself; basically, the body radiates heat, which is convectively cooled by the movement of the air around us (aided significantly by the occurrence of a simple breeze), and it also sweats, creating a mechanism for natural evaporative phase-change cooling as the water in our sweat evaporates.
However, if the heat is extreme, the humidity is high (which reduces the instances of and effectiveness of evaporative cooling), our activity levels are excessive, or our body's water level is low, or any combination of these conditions occurs, then our body may fall behind in its discharge of excess heat, and the continued buildup of excessive heat and temperature can then occur, ultimately threatening the person's life through the occurrence of a heat stroke.
The following are some of the most common symptoms of heat stroke: high body temperature, flushed dry skin, headache, fatigue, dizziness, disorientation, hallucinations, rapid heartbeat, seizure, and loss of consciousness.
It is important for the heat stroke victim to be treated immediately. Standard first aid treatments focus heavily upon getting the person's body temperature down by removing excess clothing, applying, cool water and/or ice packs to the skin and trunk and groin areas, as well as elevating the feet.
The invention disclosed herein should NEVER be confused with treatment by a physician for the clinical conditions of dehydration or heat stroke; neither should it be confused as a source of first aid for those conditions.
However, what it does provide is a preventive mechanism for preventing heat exhaustion and other heat-related illnesses. That is, it provides a mechanism for effectuating local cooling of a person's (or animal's) local, mild elevated skin temperature. The presence of the aromatic components also not only relieves the sinuses, and various other allergic conditions, but, in addition, also provides relief from the temporary lightheadedness that can occur in heated conditions.
Cooling of the sort effectuated by means of this invention, combined with a healthy, sustained intake of appropriate fluids, alongside sensible, prudent management of physical activities (and breaks), and attention to the heat conditions under which those activities are undertaken, should help one to more safely and happily enjoy activities outdoors.